Sterilizing-receptacle for tooth-brushes.



F. C. LEYDEN.

sTERlLlzlNG RECEPTACLE FOR TooH BRUSHES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. I8, 19I5.

1 ,201 ,207. Patented Oct. 10, 19,16.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1'.

-F' 0. I, @yd/enf F. C. LEYDEN.

STERILIZING RECEPTAGLE FOR TOOTH BRUSHES.

APPLICATION FIILED Aums, 1915.

1,291,207. l Patented oct. 10,1916.l

'UMTED sririrnsv PATENT oFFIcE.

FRANK C. LEYDEN, 0F ANNISTON, ALABAMA.

STERILIZING-RECEPTACLE FOR TOOTH-BRUSHES.

Application led August 18, 1915. Serial N o. 46,123.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK C. LEYDEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Anniston, in the county of Calhoun and State of Alabama,lhave invented new and useful Improvements in Sterilizing-Receptaclesfor Tooth-Brushes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved sterilizing receptacle for toothbrushes and the like.

The invention has for its object to produce a device of this class whichwill be simple in construction and in which the tooth brush will bethoroughly preserved against contamination from outside sources.

A further object of the invention is to produce a sterilizing receptaclein which a brush support is supported for vertical movement by aflexible element connected with a swinging cover so that by the act ofthrowing the cover to an open position, the handle of the tooth brushwill be partly projected above the upper edge or rim of the receptacleto enable it to be convenlently grasped.

With these and other ends in view which will readily appear as thenature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in theimproved construction and novel arrangement and combination of partswhich will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawing has been illustrated a simple and preferredform of theinvention, it being, however, understood that no limitationis necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited,but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of theclaims may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings :-F igure 1 is a view in rear elevation of a deviceconstructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional viewtaken on the line 2--2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view showing thecap swung to one side with respect to the body of the receptacle. Fig. 4is a sectional detail view of the upper portion of the device, similarto Fig. 2, showing the cap lifted and swung to one side to move thebrush support in an upward direction. Fig. 5 is a side elevationillustrating a modified form of the invention. Fig. 6 is a sectionaldetail View on the line 6-6 in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

sectional viewl taken on the line 7--7 in Fig. 6.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by likecharacters of reference.

The body of the improved receptacle consists of a tube 15 preferably ofglass or other suitable transparent material and having at its upper andlower ends cylindrical collars 16, 17 which may be cemented or otherwisesecured on the tube. The bottom collar 17 extends below the bottom edgeof the tube 15, and it supports a perforated bottom mem-ber 18 whichlatter abuts on the lower edge of the tube 15. That portion of thecollar 17 which extends below the bottom member 18 constitutes anannular flange 19 which is threadedly or otherwise connected nolimitation is intended, but that formaldehyde gas, sterilizing ordisinfecting material in solid form or any desired liquid disinfectingmaterial maybe employed. If a liquid is used, the container may bepartly filled with cotton or other substance, indicated at122, which maybe saturated with such sterilizing agent.

The collar 16 at the upper end ofthe tube 15 is exteriorly beveled, asseen at 23, and a cap 24 is provided having an annular flange 25 withinwhich is seatedy a washer 26 of rubber or similar material, such Washerhaving an internally beveled flange 27 adapted to engage the beveledouter face of the collar 16 to form a tightly tting closure. The ange 25of the cap has been shown as being provided with a rib 28 engaging agroove 29 in the washer which will thereby be retained in position. Therearward portion of the collar 16 supports a tube 30 wherein is seated arod or pintle 31, the upper end of which is connected with' the cap 24which is thereby supported. The tube 30 also contains a spring 32 whichis coiled about the pintle 31 and the tension of which is exerteddownwardly on said pintle, thereby keeping the cap securely seated whenin adjusted position. The pintle 31 is provided with a thumb pieceorhandle 33 projecting through a slot 34C in the tube 30, therebyenabling the cap to be moved in an upward direction by pressure on thethumb piece. At the upper end of the slot 32 is a lateral notch 35adapted to receive the shank 36 of the thumb piece, thereby permittingthe pintle to be swung about its axis and thus enabling the cap to be-moved laterally to an unobstructing position with respect to thereceptacle.

The tube lcontains a brush support consisting of la rod 37 having at itslower end a perforated foot piece 38 on which the tooth brush 39 may besupported.y Secured on the underside of the foot piece 29 and extendingdownwardly therefrom is a coiled spring 40 adapted to contact with thebottom member 18, thusconstituting a buffer. The upper end of the rod 37is connected by a exible element 41 with an eye member 42 associatedwith the cap 24.

In the operation of this device, ,the sterilizing material is placed inthe container provided for the purpose, the latter being connected withthe collar at the lower end of the tube 16. By pushing the thumb piece33 in an upward direction against the tension of the spring 32 the cap24 will be lifted until the flange 25 clears the top of the tube., afterwhich by pressing the thumb piece to cause the shank thereof to enterthe notch 35, the pintle 31 will be swung about its axis, thus swingingthe cap clear of the tube. By the upward movement of the cap, the brushsupport will be lifted, as will be readily understood, and when the capis swung or moved laterally, the tension eX- erted on the flexiblemember 41 will tend to move the brush support still farther in an upwarddirection until the end of the handle is projected upwardly above thetube, where it may be readily seized permittingf` the brush to be moved.After use, the brush is restored to its position within the tube where.by restoring the cap to its obstructing position, it will be lowereduntil the buffer spring of the foot piece 38 abutson the perforatedbottom member 18. This will providefor the farther downward movement of@the brush support if this should be rendered necessary by the length ofthe brush handle. It will, of course, be understood that the parts ofthe receptacle are to be properly proportioned with reference to a toothbrush of ordinary dimensions.

When the disinfecting and sterilizing material employed is in liquidform, such as yliquid formaldehyde, it is desirable, in ora receptacleor container of ample capacity to hold a supply of liquid disinfectantsufficientto last for a long period. Under this modification acylindrical container 50 is provided, the same being practicallycoextensive with the tooth brush receptacle and the container 2()connected therewith. said container 50 being connected with thesterilizing device by means of the hoops or bands 51 whereby it isproperly supported. The container 50 has a screw cap 52 to enable it tobe filled, said cap fitting tightly so as to prevent leakage. The lowerend portion of the container 50 which abuts on the receptacle 20 isconnected with the latter by means of a duct or nipple 53 which may beobstructed by a spring actuated valve 54 having a button or thumb piece55 at one end of its stem 56 which projects through the side wall of thecontainer 50, thus enabling the valve to be moved against the tension ofthe actuating spring 57 to permit a portion of the liquid contents ofthe container 50 to pass to the receptacle 20 which may be looselypacked with absorbent material of any kind. To prevent leakage aroundthe valve stem 56 any well known means may be resorted to, such as anordinary packing device, but it is not deemed necessary to particularlyillustrate the same. lt will be seen that when this construction isresorted to a considerable quantity of liquid disinfecting andsterilizing material may be kept in a convenient manner for instant use.

While the invention has been described as a tooth brush receptacle, itis to be understood that it may be effectively einployed as a receptaclefor other objects such as dentists and surgeons tools and the like.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new` is 1. In asterilizing device, a receptacle having a perforated bottom and acontainer supported below the same, a supporting member within thereceptacle comprising a rod and a perforated foot piece connectedtherewith, a spring interposed between the foot piece and the bottom ofthe receptacle, a movably supported cap, and a flexible connectionbetween the cap and the supporting member.

2. In a sterilizing device, a receptacle, a supporting member within thesame, a collar at the upper end of the receptacle having a beveledportion, a flanged cap having a washer provided with a beveled flange toengage the beveled portion of the collar` a tube connected with thecollar and having a slot provided with .a laterally extending notch, apintle connected with the cap and extending within the tube, a thumbpiece extending through the slot of the tube and having a shank, aspring within the tube exerting downward ltension on the pintle tomaintain the cap in seated position, and a flexible connection betweenthe cap and the supporting member within the receptacle. A

3. In a sterilizing device. a receptacle for the article to besterilized. a container for the sterilizing material,l a perforatedpartition separating the two, a container constituting a source ofsupply for liquid sterilizing material, a duct through which said supplycontainer communicates with the first mentioned container, and a springactuated valve constitutingr a closure for said duct.

-4. A sterllizing devlce comprising a receptacle for the article to besterilized and a container for sterilizing material com-v` tubularcontainer connected with and supportedon said device, supporting hoopsor bands, a duct establishing communication between the two containers,and a manuali)7 operable spring actuated valveconstituting a closure forsaid duct.`

In testimony whereof vI aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

` FRANK C. LEYDEN.

